Swingletree.



J. H. CARTER.

SWINGLETREE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1912.

Jliarir COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO..WASHINGTON, n. c

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

FFC.

JOHN H. CARTER, 0F SUMTER, GEORGIA.

SWINGLETREE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. CARTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sumter, in the county of Sumter and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Swingletrees, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to swingletrees, and the object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong and durable construction of swingletree or doubletree which may be inexpensively manufactured of wood and metal, and which is adapted to afford certain substantial advantages, all as fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention Figure 1 is a plan view of a swingletree constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the device on an enlarged scale.

In carrying my invention into practice I provide a swingletree or doubletree consisting of a bar or body portion 1, preferably made of wood, and a metallic reinforcing frame 2. The frame 2 consists preferably of a single piece of scrap iron, comprising longitudinally extending arms 3 and 4, the arm 3 being provided at its ends with right angularly bent portions 5 bearing against the ends of the bar 1 and intersecting the ends of the arm 4, thus forming a loop embracing the bar and reinforcing it in a firm and substantial manner to resist the strains imposed thereon. The ends of the arm 4, and the angularly bent portions 5 at the ends of the arm 3, are bent outward in abutting relation to provide trace hooks 6, which hooks are of spiral form and project a slight distance in advance of the front side of the bar 1 and have their terminalsso arranged as to require the rings or eyes upon the ends of the traces to be applied at an angle, so that such rings or eyes, after application, will be securely held against casual displacement.

In practice the ends of the strip of scrap metal of which the reinforcing frame is made preferably overlap along the length of the arm 3 and are welded together, thus form- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 20, 1912.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

Serial No. 732,556.

ing a substantially single piece structure. Bolts or rivets 7 pass through the ends of the bar 1 and ends of the arms 3 and 1 and terminally connect them, while similar bolts or rivets 8 pass through the bar and arms adjacent to and on opposite sides of the transverse centers thereof and rigidly unite them at these points, thus firmly binding the parts together. A draft ring or eye 9 may be fastened to the swingletree or doubletree, thus constructed by means of the said bolts or rivets 8, or may be welded or otherwise secured to the arm 3 of the reinforcing frame.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that my invention provides a swingletree or doubletree composed of a body portion of wood, reinforced by a metallic frame in such manner that it is not liable to break, but which, in the event of injury, may be detached by removing the rivets for the substitution of a new bar, the reinforcing frame being practically indestructible. The construction described also obviates the necessity of using rings, bands or clevises'and other auxiliary parts, and enables the traces to be securely held and prevented from rattling. The construction of the swingletree or doubletree and arrangement of the trace hooks also permits the draft animal or animals to be placed closer to the vehicle, with resultant advantages.

I claim A swingletree or doubletree comprising a wooden body, a looped metallic frame in closing the same, said frame consisting of opposed arms bearing against opposite sides of the body, one of said arms having right angularly bent end portions bearing against the ends of the body, the respective ends of the arms being continued outward from the frame in abutting relation and tend to form spiral trace hooks.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. CARTER.

Witnesses:

R. C. MARKETTE, T. W. FOSTER.

{Iopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner o'i Eatents. 

